New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-04
TWO NEW NOVELS.
RoMANCEs OF CHARACTER AND HISTORY.
IN THE CLOUDS. BY CHARLES EGBRRT CRADDoCK.
1Gmo PIP 4o2. Houghton. Miffiin Co.

AGNES SURFACE. BY EDWIN LAssETTER BYNSER.
12mo. PIP AIS. Tfcknor Co.
Miss Murfrees last novel is quite as remarkable
study Of local pecularities OF character and
ners as any Of Its predecessors 1t is perhaps the
most elaborate and painstalxing of the series
The descriptions marvellously vivid The
landscape, the rough domestic interiors, the half
barbarous life in the tennessee mountains are
exhibited with startling effect; and the uncouth
dialect is copied with keen appreciation not
only Of its grotcsqueness but OF its picturesque
force. Dialect offers something more to Miss
Nurfree than exercise in correct reporting.
for she shows fine artistic sense in using ii to
heghten her illustrations of social conliti n AMI
individual habits. She searches we'll below the
surface she is never content with showing how
her mountain herders and mO1nshiners live and
how they talk. but she gets at their interior and
lets us know how they think. Her quick observa-
ton and graphic power would probably betray
her into bald naturalism but for her still richer
gift OF realizing the mental operations OF the
strange types Of men and women to whose analysis
she has applied herself The elemental passions
have play all over the world; the impulses which
result from them nowise uniform. II Is in
the accuracy with which she traces the action of
passion OH temperament, AMI the determination
of temperament by external influences that Miss
nature. We feel that none but her mountaineers
could have acted as the personares of in the
Clouds did oct in given circumstances that
these personages must have acted ust as she Hys
they did and that the conditions Of eXis' fence
in that region must have produced just such a
population and no other. Isolation has made
them ignorant and supersttiOus poverty has given
them sOrdid views OF life, without essential mean
ness OF character; in the fun intercourse with
rugged nature they have acquired a sort of animal
dislike of restraint and responsibility loose
adjustment of social bonds has resulted in a highly
Independent and emotional code OF morals and
withal certain relgiosity. fired by occasional
camp meetings has given them their sole intel
leotuaL recreation, without any in 'onvenient re-
lation 10 conduct Alcthea, Ms Purv ine Mink
Lorey. Mrs JesSup, Peter Rood Jacob. Ben d. axis
Maria Marvin, all true to this general pattern.
while they differ in personal character day from
night.
When we come TO consider the drama in which
these actors perform. we cannot helD asking
selves whether the careful dissection Of the
Tennessee mountaineer is not getting to be mere
demonstration in psychological anatomy which.
when pursued for its own sake, soon becomes
superfuous iteration The story Of I'm the
Clouds is not only excessively sombre, but both
in its drift and its incidents it is ugly. We can
think of no other adjective that well defines
the quality of novel which deals with the
crudest outbreaks of hate, fear. envy, jealousy.
revenge and proceeds to a tragic close by
series Of accidental disasters. There is something
In the light hearted reclSlessness Of Mink Lorcy
which wins our sympathies, something in the
stcadfast love Of Alethea which it is impossible
MT to admire Yet neither Of the lovers is en-
hbted in a situation which calls forth any 'atent
nj chara nd &c
that the sorrowful conclusion misses clear note
Of pathOs The action, however. although 1t tends
to no very satisfactory result, is fun of various
animation. There scenes in the haunts OF the
har-breadth escapes, lively lectures
OF the legislature at Nashville. a trial for murder
I'm attempt at rescue. The murder trial. upon
which the plot turns is described with force, but
there is fatal blemish in it. for no evidence is
presented that anybody has lost his life, the
murder being assumed from the fact Of disap
rearance. which is afterward ex lanel. No such
trial could possibly take place. Miss Murfree's
habit of OVERRIDING descrIpti rs of scenery is still
q blot upon 10 work, and the fault of excess is
sometimes led pretty far in other directions
also Here. Tor example, is drcaduly over
charged reflection: "1hc unfathomable dis en-
sation Of idiocy. its reconcilabilty with mum
dane theories of divine Justice or mercy, it's pre-
morbid effect when confronted with sanity This
is only saying that idiocy is a morbid state /;
truth plain that ii was hardly worth while TO
get upon stills TO proclaim it.
Mr. Bynner has found an admirable subject for
romance in the C. lonial history of Massachusetts
and he has treated it with DISTINGUISHED skill
Tie story of q beautiful daughter of q Marblehead
fisherman. educated at the cost of Mr.. FARMLAND
Maj ty's ~ Cuctn
at the port Of Boston. and married at last TO her
lover after she had ] n, been his mistress is
true in substance, and Agnes SURFACE is based
upon antiquarian research quite as much upon
invent The grosser elements OF the nara C
have Leen artfully refined away without histical
mis- representations OF the U-ly fact. The process
of chnn ing the uncouth fsher-girl into the fine
lady is admirably described, with many touches
OF humOr, and side views of colo NAL life and
manners and the poor creatures fan is exhibited
not as the corruption Of her nature, but as the
simple result Of ignorance waking into condition
of bewilderment, in q new life where all safe
guides fail it. There is consequently nothing
morbid in the sympathy aroused for Agnes and
her misery In the midst Of the luxury with
which Franl<lands protection surrounds her keeps
her still en- aging and pathetic flyure through
scenes OF a very trying character. In the sequel
she sa. es Franklands life, and becomes his happy
and bonOred vile after he has succeeded to a
bar0netcy and a large Inheritance in ENGLAND.
The author treats his subject with rich variety
Of. scenery and access irics The life among the
fisher-folk Of Marbehead, with their broad dialect
little used, so far as we know, in previous works
of fiction; ~ SPLENDID gentiity Of the royal
functionaries ia b ston and of the col NAL mag
mates who chiefly cOnsorted with thcm-a S. len !or
more lavish in proportion TO the general standard
Of living than the outlay of our own millonaircs
and. in contrast with the customs of fashi nablc
society, the stir unlOvely manners of the re-
spectacle middle class-all these aspects of the
Massachusetts, Of 1740-l75o are drawn with ex-
cellent effect and several noted historical per.
sonagcs are introduced 10 emil en- the pictures.
High life in London is afterward described with